Barking in Crate... Again

Ilyena

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#21
Having a covered crate worked wonders for me at least. My dog hasn't ever really barked at nights, but he used to whine if he saw me walking in my room and I didn't pay any attention to him (his crate is in my bedroom and he usually goes to sleep before I do). I haven't heard a sound from him since I started putting a blanket over his crate at nights.

I can't however leave the blanket on his crate at daytime when he has to be alone, he does drag it into his cage and starts chewing on it if he's not tired enough. But at nights there's never been a problem, I know he's always too tired then to have any energy left for that.
 

maxfox426

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#22
YAY!!! I'm SO happy to hear that!!

I was just thinking - you leave for work an hour before your husband, does Morgan go back to his crate after you leave? Do you think your husband could be inadvertently rewarding Morgan for barking if you're not home (yelling at him, talking, etc.)?
Morgan does go back in the crate after I leave for work. It's possible I suppose that my husband could be doing something... but I do know his morning routine is get up, get dressed, walk out the door. He doesn't do anything with Morgan in the mornings, since I've already fed him and whatnot. I've already talked to my husband about the problem with yelling at Morgan for barking, too, so he should know better. (At the very least, I have grounds to say "I told you so.")

So long story short... it's possible, but I don't really have any way of knowing for sure.

We'll see if the voice reward for quieting down works over the next couple days. Hopefully that is all it takes, but if not I'll look into ways to block his view from the crate. I have two old folding card tables that could do the trick if I laid them on their sides, or I could make a folding screen or crate cover of some kind myself. I certainly have a lot of ideas to try over the next couple weeks!


Again, though you everybody for your thoughts, ideas, and support with this puppy dilemma of mine! You all are the reason I love this forum so very very much. :D
 

lizzybeth727

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#23
You might consider leaving the block up after you leave for work, just in CASE Morgan is barking at your husband. I mean, you know that even walking down the stairs can reward the barking, and I wonder if your husband has enough patience (or consciousness) in the morning to wait until he stops barking to come down. (No offence meant toward your husband, not many people in the world have enough patience to wait for a dog to stop barking, especially first thing in the morning!!)
 

Hillside

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#24
You're welcome!

And GO MIDDIE! :D




Ooo... interesting... I'm not too concerned about whining, since at night he is downstairs and we are upstairs, I don't think that will be as much of an issue.

The manual button for the trash, though, now THAT could be a nice feature, too. Morgan is pretty good about staying out of the trash... but the CATS are another story entirely. :rolleyes:

Is it somehow only specific to barking? Or does any loud noise set it off? I am curious, because I wonder if cats knocking over a trash can would make enough of a sound to start the noise...

This could potentially solve two problems at once!

I am still going to try the radio approach this weekend, but I really am excited about this possibility. Thanks for sharing it with me! :)
I made sure to check this morning, but it didn't go off when my nasty alarm clocks were going off.
 

maxfox426

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#25
I made sure to check this morning, but it didn't go off when my nasty alarm clocks were going off.
Thanks for checking that out for me! I have bookmarked the page you sent me and if my next few ideas don't work, that will be my next step. Again, thanks a ton for letting me know about that. My husband accepts it as a compromise to the bark-collar... and now we have a "last resort" that we agree on. :D

Probably a good thing that it doesn't go off with the alarm clock. I can't imagine how upsetting that could be for a dog! ;)

"Oh no! The people are about to wake up! Noooooooooooooooooo!"
:p
 

Hillside

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#26
I picked mine up at Petsmart and it was like 39 bucks. Not too bad considering the same thing, product and everything is 60 at Petco.
 

maxfox426

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#27
Just a little update:

Well, this morning I got up with my alarm clock and there was no barking whatsoever! NONE! AND I had even forgotten to turn on the radio last night. So now I have absolutely NO idea what Morgan's deal is with the barking. :rolleyes:

Actually, he's being a completely angel this morning... He even sat and waited patiently at the door to be taken outside for potty time, which until today he hadn't figured out to do, and this is all still BEFORE I've fed him breakfast. Now he's playing a game with the cat that doesn't even involve touching each other.

Alright, which one of you stole my dog and replaced him with this imposter?!?!?!?!? :lol-sign: Okay, I'm just kiddding. :D

This is nice. Now we just have to see about tomorrow. Ah, the joys of puppyhood...
 

noludoru

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#29
Those cardboard thingies that kids use at science fairs would be great to block his view.. two of them and you're set.
 

Dizzy

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#30
I have to go to work eventually, so on those days I am forced to go downstairs, feed him, let him out, crate him back up, and then RUN out the door.

THIS sentence concerned me.

Your dog is alone crated overnight, then alone crated from morning till when?

How many hours is that in total?

I hope you don't work full time... otherwise your dog is crated more than he isn't!!!

I understand people have to work (I've done/do it myself), but THIS is the exact reason why I think crates are over used.
 

maxfox426

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#33
How's Morgan doing this week??
Well... he still barks starting sometime between 4:30-5:00am. The radio didn't seem to do much. In fact, he seems to be barking even earlier now, BEFORE my alarm clock goes off in the morning. :rolleyes:

HOWEVER, the pattern has shifted somewhat. He no longer barks at all while I'm downstairs. The past couple of days, he hasn't even barked when I'm walking down the stairway. Now he just barks early in the morning as if to wake us up, although he doesn't bark for nearly as long. He used to bark for hours on end once he started, and now he'll go for about 5-10 minutes then stop, wait 10-15 minutes, and try barking again.

So it seems that I don't have to worry so much about the hurried, crazed rush in the morning if he barks for hours at a time. It also seems that he's figured out that I'm not coming downstairs in the morning if I can hear him.

Now I just have to figure out how to keep him from waking us up with barking at 4:30am... all from my upstairs bedroom. :p

I have been taking care in the mornings not to get out of bed while he is barking. I don't want him to bark, then hear me get up, and make any connections with that. Once I get out of bed and he hears me walking around the barking is much less intense. Some days he'll still bark, but not as urgently... other days he won't bark at all.

Anyways, long story short... it's better, but still not quite there. :D

At this point, do you think this is something he will grow out of? What can I do from different floors of the house?

Sorry about the babbling. I just hope this post makes sense. It's after midnight here, I'm tired, and formulating words is proving difficult. :lol-sign:
 

Dizzy

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#34
What do you suggest she do besides crate her puppy???
Crating ALL night and ALL day too you mean?

What I did maybe? Secured a room (kitchen) during the day, and made sure I was with the puppy ALL night. She slept in our room (in a crate to begin with).

That or not get a dog if it's going to be crated for up to 16 hours a day. Having a secure dog proofed house is one of the considerations you take into account BEFORE getting a dog.

To be honest, I'd bark if I was in a crate nearly all day, everyday.

She could move the crate in her room over night, so the dog isn't alone all the time.... they are pack animals afterall.... You can't just box them away when you're busy.
 

maxfox426

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#35
Crating ALL night and ALL day too you mean?

What I did maybe? Secured a room (kitchen) during the day, and made sure I was with the puppy ALL night. She slept in our room (in a crate to begin with).

That or not get a dog if it's going to be crated for up to 16 hours a day. Having a secure dog proofed house is one of the considerations you take into account BEFORE getting a dog.

To be honest, I'd bark if I was in a crate nearly all day, everyday.

She could move the crate in her room over night, so the dog isn't alone all the time.... they are pack animals afterall.... You can't just box them away when you're busy.

Wow... I didn't see your first comment before this one. I am kind of wishing I still hadn't seen either of them. From reading threads that you have posted, I had some good respect for you as a fellow dog owner, and I honestly wasn't expecting this "holier than thou" attitude. You are entirely too happy to be rude about this matter without even bothering to ask what the whole situation.

In fact, based on your comments, I doubt you even read all that was posted in this thread.

I appreciate that you have thoughts and opinions on the matter. However, it is apparent that you do not know the whole story, nor do you care to know. Therefore, I don't feel all that motivated to bother with filling you in. You probably wouldn't listen, anyways.

I've already received plenty of constructive and non-aggressive advice from other members of this forum. At this time, I am much more inclined to take their word than yours. Their suggestions have actually been helping me, which I definitely prefer over being attacked for asking questions.

Have a nice day. :D
 

lizzybeth727

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#36
Yeah, I'd've thought you'd at least read the OP:

I know that the best solution would be to let Morgan sleep upstairs with us. Unfortunately, that isn't an option. My husband will not allow Morgan to stay in our room (it's the way his family functions). One of the conditions of getting a dog is that he would have to stay on the main level. I've tried telling him that the barking issue would be resolved with this one change, but he isn't buying it.

The other problem would be about moving Morgan's crate up there. We don't spend a lot of time upstairs other than sleeping, so keeping his crate on the main level makes more sense during the day.
And I really don't see how keeping a puppy in a small room all day is all that different than keeping him in a crate.... Except perhaps it would give the puppy a place to potty during the day, but clearly this isn't a concern for Morgan.
 

lizzybeth727

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#37
HOWEVER, the pattern has shifted somewhat. He no longer barks at all while I'm downstairs. The past couple of days, he hasn't even barked when I'm walking down the stairway. Now he just barks early in the morning as if to wake us up, although he doesn't bark for nearly as long. He used to bark for hours on end once he started, and now he'll go for about 5-10 minutes then stop, wait 10-15 minutes, and try barking again.
I think this is a good sign, that he's not working himself up so much and he's learning to calm himself down when he does start barking. Hopefully this means that he's improving.

I have been taking care in the mornings not to get out of bed while he is barking. I don't want him to bark, then hear me get up, and make any connections with that.
GOOD! He would make that connection, I'm glad that you're conscious of that!

At this point, do you think this is something he will grow out of? What can I do from different floors of the house?
Like I said, I think it's going to get better the longer you practice not getting up while he's barking. The general answer to a dog who's barking before you get up is to exercise him more at night so he'll sleep longer, but I believe that you are doing a lot of exercise anyway. I think you should just keep doing what you're doing for another week or two, and if you see no change or he starts getting worse (barking for hours on end again), maybe we'll need to reevaluate the situation. Do keep us posted!!
 

maxfox426

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#38
Like I said, I think it's going to get better the longer you practice not getting up while he's barking. The general answer to a dog who's barking before you get up is to exercise him more at night so he'll sleep longer, but I believe that you are doing a lot of exercise anyway. I think you should just keep doing what you're doing for another week or two, and if you see no change or he starts getting worse (barking for hours on end again), maybe we'll need to reevaluate the situation. Do keep us posted!!
Oh yes, we make sure this pup gets his exercise. I try to take him for a walk before bedtime, or at least play a good game of fetch in the yard. He usually gets a good chunk of playtime outside once we are home from work, too. He lurves to run, so we make sure we let him as much as we can!

With the improvement Morgan has had just in this short amount of time, I am feeling much more confident that we are on the right track. ;)

I'll be sure to keep you posted on his progress! :D Thanks again for all the help! :hail:
 

Dizzy

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#39
Wow... I didn't see your first comment before this one. I am kind of wishing I still hadn't seen either of them. From reading threads that you have posted, I had some good respect for you as a fellow dog owner, and I honestly wasn't expecting this "holier than thou" attitude. You are entirely too happy to be rude about this matter without even bothering to ask what the whole situation.

In fact, based on your comments, I doubt you even read all that was posted in this thread.

I appreciate that you have thoughts and opinions on the matter. However, it is apparent that you do not know the whole story, nor do you care to know. Therefore, I don't feel all that motivated to bother with filling you in. You probably wouldn't listen, anyways.

I've already received plenty of constructive and non-aggressive advice from other members of this forum. At this time, I am much more inclined to take their word than yours. Their suggestions have actually been helping me, which I definitely prefer over being attacked for asking questions.

Have a nice day. :D

Well, I'm sorry if it came over as aggressive.

I think it was more shock than anything else.

I just don't understand how people can keep a dog in a cage for the majority of the day. Needs must, just doesn't cut it... If people want a caged animal that they can get out and play with when they get home, and put away at bed time - why not get a ferret? Or rats? Intelligent animals - can be taught tricks, fetch and like interaction with humans.

I did ask questions, I see you missed my post as you said, but then someone put a question to me, which is where my 2nd post was directed.

I DID read your post regards your partner doesn't like the dog to be upstairs. Perhaps you should talk to him about your concern for your dog.

I have worked full time myself - when Bo was a puppy in fact. I felt guilty enough not being there in the day without not being there all night too, and she did have a crate for the 1st few months. It was used at night, and she was paper trained during the day. Depsite what people think, Bo would potter about the room in the day - I would hide treats in all kinds of places, she'd rag her toys up and down the kitchen, she'd play with her balls. She didn't just sit in her crate (which was left open) and sleep all day.

Owning a dog isn't like owning a cat, which is happy to amuse itself. Dogs CRAVE attention.

My original question was how long, on an average day, is your dog crated?

How long do you think is acceptible?

Crates have been discussed on Chaz an awful lot, and my opinion on them is well documented. I don't disagree with crate training ONE BIT. It was useful for me. But I see it as a tool, and I do not (even one tiny tiny bit) like to hear of dogs that are crated all day AND all night too. It's nothing personal at YOU. It's something that I just don't like. Perhaps it is cultural - here people do not rely on crates. And we all do just fine!!
 

CharlieDog

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#40
Whats with all the Dizzy hate'n going on lately??

I agree that crates are a tool, and all dogs eventually outgrow the need for that tool provided it is used properly.

That said, Oz still loves his crate, and I still use his occasionally.
 

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